The headline on the cover of a recent Time magazine asked, “Who Needs Harvard?” The featured article was about students finding the right college. Not the school with the highest SAT scores or the lowest acceptance rate, but the one where your daughter, son, grandchild, neighbor, Sunday school pupil, or youth group member is most likely to succeed. The place where he or she will come away not only with a diploma but with a purpose in life.
Too much to expect?
Not if you help that young person choose a college wisely.
The Time article came on the heels of a new edition of Loren Pope’s best selling guide: Colleges That Change Lives. The title says it all. Going to college means, first and foremost, getting a good education. But to paraphrase Paul, the best education is one where you will “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God.” (Rom. 12:2) Or more precisely, what is the purpose for which God has equipped you with gifts to use in service to others?
Not surprisingly seven of the colleges profiled in Pope’s book are Presbyterian-related. Of the 10 church-related schools on U.S. News’ list of top 50 liberal arts colleges, five are Presbyterian. Eighteen Presbyterian schools are included in the Templeton Foundation’s Colleges that Encourage Character Development. Presbyterians have always believed in education, not for its own sake, but to glorify God and serve one another. (A list of Presbyterian colleges can be found on page 25.)
Because there are more than 3,500 accredited universities and colleges in the United States, finding the right school can pose a challenge. Technology has made it easier to do some of the preliminary research, but adults can still be helpful to students as they pursue their quest.
Too many students choose a college for the wrong reason–because it has a well-known name or a “top ten” football team, because Mom or Dad went there, or because someone they know is planning to go there.
The right college is not only one where a student feels comfortable, but one that reflects his or her values, that challenges students to learn not only academic subjects but also about themselves, both in and outside the classroom, a school that prepares them not only for making a living but also a life.
The colleges that do these things are not always the ones everybody has heard of, though their performance records may be as good or better than the best-known Ivy League school.
“Knowing you have something to give the world is all that you need to have a great college experience,” says Jay Mathews, author of Harvard Schmarvard: Getting Beyond the Ivy League to the College That Is Best for You, “Learn what you want to do in life and how. Hundreds of great schools are ready to help you,” he says.
The PC(USA) General Assembly Council affirms this belief in a new report: Discernment of Christian Vocation. It begins with these words: “Christian vocation refers to more than pastoral ministry. In its broadest sense, vocation encompasses everything that forms us for a life of faith.” John Calvin called vocation “the principal part of human life and the part that means most to God.” The 207th General Assembly (1995) described it as “a lifelong response to God in all aspects of one’s life.”
The GAC has invited not only college students but all Presbyterians to consider these vocation-related questions: “What is God calling me to do with my life?” and “How am I to use the gifts and talents that God has given me for building up the body of Christ?” A well-rounded education equips students to answer these questions.
Helping students to discern God’s call has been a focus of nine Presbyterian colleges in particular in the past few years. They were among more than 80 schools that received grants from the Lilly Endowment to launch programs for the theological exploration of vocation. The grants have been used in a variety of ways for leadership development and mentoring programs, pre-ministerial programs, internships, and career counseling.
So what can you do to help young people find a college that will help them discover God’s call upon their lives? Here are some suggestions:
· Begin by helping them to identify their passions, the things they care about that give them satisfaction and give meaning to their lives.
· Make them aware of resources that can help them find schools where they can pursue their passions. Make sure there is a copy of the Directory of Schools, Colleges and Universities Related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in your church library or youth center.
· Schedule a “college night” at church. Invite an admissions counselor from a nearby college to offer tips on finding the right school.
· Include informal college visits as part of family vacations and youth mission trips. Arrange for students to tour campuses that are within driving distance, perhaps with youth from another congregation.
When the time comes to begin examining colleges in earnest, encourage students to search a school’s Web site or catalog for more than a list of courses, majors or activities. Find what the school’s commitment is to preparing students to lead purposeful lives and to developing ethical, moral and spiritual values and social responsibility. When students visit a college, encourage them to ask other students how well the school delivers on its promises.
For many young people, choosing a college is the most important decision they have ever had to make. It is the first step in taking control of their lives and preparing themselves for all that will follow. College is more than grades, classes, getting involved and having fun. College is about finding out who one is and who God wants you to be.
Gary Luhr is the executive director of the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities.
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Start by asking a few general questions to begin narrowing your search: · What size college will make me most comfortable? Remember, most private colleges are smaller than the average suburban high school. · Coeducational or single-sex? There are few remaining all-male colleges, but there are many fine women’s colleges. · How far away? · How important is climate? · Do I care if the college is in a city, a small town, or a rural area? · What do I want to study? · What kinds of classes do I prefer–large, lecture-style classes or smaller, more interactive ones? · What activities do I enjoy? · Do I want a school where I can study abroad, have an internship, or do research? · Which colleges can help me explore a career or get into graduate school?
One question you should not ask immediately is: “Can I afford it?” These Web sites can help identify colleges based on these and other criteria: www.collegeboard.com , www.petersons.com , www.collegetrends.com.
The campus visit There is no substitute for a campus visit to determine if a college is right for you. The best time to visit is when school is in session, while you are still deciding where to apply. Don’t attend a college you haven’t seen in person but only on a virtual tour.
Getting the most from a campus visit: · See as much and talk to as many people as you can, especially students. · Audit a class, eat in the dining hall, spend the night in a typical freshman dorm. · If you know what you want to study, talk with someone in that department. If you want to play a sport or participate in some other activity, talk to the coach and to someone involved in that activity. · Check out the library at a time when students would normally be studying. Are they? Is the atmosphere conducive to study? · Check out the student center. Is it bustling with activity? Do the students seem happy? · Check out the career center. Are the jobs that are posted interesting? What resources are there for finding a job after graduation? · Check out the student support services. Are they sufficient if you have special needs or health-related problems? · Walk or drive through the local community. Check out the local student hangouts.
Questions to ask:
· What are the biggest gripes? · Who teaches the classes, professors or graduate assistants? What are classes like and how hard to get into? · How accessible is the faculty? · How long does it normally take to graduate? · What is the freshman retention rate and why do students leave? · What happens at freshman orientation and on weekends?
Helpful Resources
All but two of the 65 colleges related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) are members of the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities. You can link to each college’s Web site from the APCU Web site: www.apcu.net.
Other resources for finding the right college: · Colleges That Change Lives — Loren Pope. www.ctcl.com · Colleges that Encourage Character Development — John Templeton Foundation. www.collegesandcharacter.org · Programs for the Theological Exploration of Vocation — Lilly Endowment, Inc. www.ptev.org · Colleges of Distinction — www.collegesofdistinction.com
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